Peru – Floods in Piura Region Leave 2 Dead and 2,545 Displaced

Civil defence authorities in Peru say that flooding has affected over 90,000 people in the northern region of Piura since heavy rain began to fall on 30 January. As many as 2,545 people have been displaced, with over 500 homes destroyed and almost 19,000 flooded. Two people have died in the floods and two injured.

The district of Paita in Paita province and Ayabaca in Ayabaca province are the worst affected.

A state of emergency was declared for 60 days for the regions of Tumbes, Piura and Lambayeque on 03 February, 2017.

State of Emergency announced in 3 regions after floods in Peru’s north west. Photo: Indeci

Piura Region

El Instituto Nacional de Defensa Civil (Indeci) says that heavy rain fell for 30 hours from the evening of 30 January, with flooding initially affecting the districts of Piura and Castilla in Piura Province, affecting around 2,000 people and displacing 50 people from their homes.

On 31 January a stream or creek known as 13 de Julio overflowed flooding areas of Paita district, Paita Province, where 84,000 have been affected. Two fatalities and 2 injuries have also been reported in the district as a result of the flooding. Houses in Paita have also suffered the worst of the flooding, with 340 homes completely destroyed and 16,800 flooded.

Indeci says that throughout the region the flooding has affected 94,025 people in 7 provinces; Piura, Talara, Paita, Huancabamba, Morropón, Ayabaca and Sullana.

As of 07 February there were 2,545 people displaced in the region, with most of them (1,700) in Paita district, Paita Province and around 500 in Ayabaca district in Ayabaca province.

A total of 18,902 houses have been affected by flooding, with 509 completely destroyed. Apart from Paita, where 340 homes were destroyed, the district of Ayabaca suffered some of the worst flooding, with around 100 homes destroyed.